Starz Entertainment hopes to hook viewers on its new glamorous-1950s-Miami series, “Magic City,” by making the first three episodes available, free, on multiple platforms. Further, the network aims to entice newcomers to programs across 15 premium channels during a “spring preview.”

The Englewood-based company has struck deals with DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse to let audiences sample “Magic City,” and the rest of Starz and Encore, from March 29 – April 2. The deal ties last year’s “Boss” sampling effort, in which Starz offered an estimated 76 million households access via select cable, satellite, and Telco affiliates.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.